Catch for the flaps of purses and bags



June-Z, 192 1,540,032

S. ORTWEILER CATCH FOR THE FLAPS OF PURSES AND BAGS Filed April 18, 1925 Patented June 2, 1925.

UNITED, STATES SIMON ORTVTEELER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CATCH FOR THE FL APS PURSES AND BAGS.

Application filed Aprii 18, 1923. Serial No. 632,838.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SIMON ORTWEILER, of London, England, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catches for the Flaps of Purses and Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to catches for purses and fancy handbags of the type comprising an upper part and a lower or body part, the upper part being attached to the flap of the purse and the lower part to the body of the purse, the upper part being fitted with a grooved stud which is adapted to enter a hole in the lower part to engage with a spring pressed bolt therein which moves at right angles to the edge of the upper part, the bolt being firmly connected with a thumb piece on the face'ot' the lower part so that it can be moved to disengage the grooved stud.

Catches of this type are liable to be forced open through the grooved stud pushing back the spring pressed bolt when the purse has been in use for some time and the springs have become weakened. But even when the springs are quite in order it often happens that when the purse is being gripped firmly in the hand, the upper part of the catch is bent into such a position that the top half or" the grooved stud makes an acute angle with the bolt while the lower half of the grooved stud is drawn away from it in an obtuse angle, whereupon the grooved stud becomes disengaged from the bolt and the purse is open.

According to this invention, I provide the thumb piece with a part which projects over the edge of the upper part when in its closed position, but is clear of the upper part when the thumb piece is retracted. No pressure of the stud against the bolt nor any movementof the stud will allow the catch to open, because the upper part remains pressed in place by the over-lapping part of the thumb piece. The projection of the thumb piece also forms a guide and serves to assist in facilitating the stud being passed into the hole in the lower part.

Referring to the drawings filed herewith:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a catch made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a back view with the leather removed Fig. 3 is a section on line A A, Fig. 2, with the leather removed and the ears partly folded open;

I Fig. 4 is a sectional plan on line B B,

purse, 9 is a connecting bar between the spring boxes e e. h is a thumb piece connected with the bolt 0. The thumb piece h is provided with an extension j which when the catch is in a locked position lies over the edge of the upper part a. The upper part a has a stud provided with a groove m. n is the leather of the purse.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A catch for the flap of a purse or bag comprising a lower part attached to the body of the purse or bag, an upper part attached to the edge of the flap, a grooved stud attached to the said upper part and projecting from it at right angles and passing into the lower part, a spring pressed bolt adapted to slide in or on the lower part at right angles to the edge of the flap to engage with the groove in the stud, a thumb piece attached to the bolt by means of which the bolt can be actuated, and an extension of the thumb piece adapted to retain the upper part referred to above by engaging with its upper surface.

2. A catch for the flap of a purse or bag with its upper surface ,'the said projection being of such a length that it acts as a guide to locate the pin attached to the upper part in the hole in the lower part.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

eiMoN ORTWEILER. 

